To Hit the Ground Runing
by M.E.R.C. Inc
Summary: US-CS relations start deteriorating back towards war in order to have an advantage CSNS sends the 69th Brigade to establish a base in a previously uncharted land. also known as the land of fire. Timeline fits tech.


To Hit the Ground Running

Prologue

September 23rd 1897

Colonel Lawing CS Army

A large blond man sat in a straight-backed chair in Richmond Virginia. The chair was located inside the War Department of the Confederate States of America. The red bricked building right across from the congress building and along a wide street, which was busy with coaches, men, and women walking. Colonel Lawing breathed a sigh of impatience as he read his small travel book. The book was open around half way through as Lawing sighed again.

Lawing looked towards the door that was to his right and sighed again. The secretary was writing a report at his desk. The secretaries uniform was different then Lawing's, as it was a light butternut color, Lawing's on the other hand was a dark grayish green. Lawing's uniform was also splattered in dirt and dust from the journey to the War Department. He stretched his legs as he continued to sit. The windows where open letting in a small breeze from the street outside along with conversations. A carriage creaked past as the door opened to Lawing's right and a head poked out and looked around.

"Ah Colonel Lawing good I hoped you would be here by now." the man said as his body slipped out from behind the door. The man's large body looked like a tomato, which was not helped by his red shirt or his red face.

"General Hill, Colonel Lawing reporting as ordered." Lawing said saluting

General Hill returned the salute and motioned for Lawing to enter the office. Lawing walked through the door and from a Spartan office into a well-furnished and almost plush room. His dusty uniform looked out of place of the light gray and brown walls and furniture he sat down in a large stuffed chair and attempted to get comfortable. General Hill sat behind his large desk and leaned forward.

"Now Colonel this is top secret information you are the second person besides me to even hear this news on this coast. Grand total maybe twenty people know this information." General Hill said in an excited voice.

"What's the information sir?" Lawing said cautiously

"One of our fishing boats stumbled upon a large natural harbor inside the fog."

"The fog sir?" Lawing asked

"The uncharted waters." Hill said noticing Lawing's unknown knowledge.

"He made it through both ways?" Lawing asked astonished.

"Yes and back to Baja to report it to us. Now this information is currently needed to know basis only. But now we get down to brass tacks." Hill said all the while growing more and more serious with each word.

"Sir." Lawing replied growing serious as well.

"The 69th brigade is being sent out to this bay and set up fortifications for further colonization and military positioning."

"What military positioning?" Lawing asked thinking of the region in question.

"The American base at Manila has a route that takes shipping close to the region and if we had a naval base their we cut off that route of safety and push them into our submarines out of Oahu."

"Choke point sir." Lawing said laughing a little then it dawned on him "Sir there is no 69th brigade sir at least there isn't one now."

"True but congress has allowed a new Corp to be founded the 9th Corp out of the Sandwich Islands. In addition, as who will lead the 69th brigade well that will be you. The job requires an engineer's touch and you're the highest ranking engineer still alive."

"Sir, I'm privileged to be given command of the brigade." Lawing said sitting up a little straighter.

~(_)~

December 15th 1897

Baja California, CSA

Brigadier General Lawing CS Army

"Men of the Sixty Ninth Brigade this mission is of the up most secrecy and importance. This brigade will be the first military unit to travel into the mist of the unknown regions." Lawing said in front of his new Brigade.

The brigade stood at parade rest new rifles gleaming in the sun as Lawing stood on a platform. A new cover adorned all their heads the helmets went all the way around the men's heads and dipped low in the back and a small point was on top. The four Regiments of the Brigade stood in squares around the stage. Lawing looked at his new Regiments and smiled. The Harbor was around them as well as a crowd.

The crowd was dressed in their best as several men in the Regiment where from the local populace. The Regiments new uniforms where the older green gray rather than the new butternut uniforms that where becoming the norm. Lawing nodded to the regimental commanders who turned towards their respected units and gave orders. Lawing descended the stage and walked to the nearest Regimental commander who turned quickly towards him and saluted which Lawing replied in kind.

"General it's good to see you again." the man said his long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Colonel Coupe it's good to see you again as well." Lawing said smiling. "Though the hair is a little old you think?"

The tall blonde man smiled at the remark. "True but it does look nice."

"True my friend." Lawing said as they walked towards one of the boats.

"So which one is ours?" Coupe asked looking at the various ships and tugs.

"BB-04 the old class of the Virginia class." Lawing said as they looked at the ship in question.

"Not much is it?" Coupe asked looking at the rusty ship

"It's based on the Alabama of the great war." Lawing replied as he started up the gangway, when he reached the top someone yelled at him.

"Army bastards you're supposed to salute the flag and salute the officer of the deck before you step on the ship! Now salute!" The man yelled not even looking at him but turning towards them. The man stared in disbelief at Lawing his black beard covered much of his face revealing slate grey eyes that looked at Lawing with anger in them.

"You bastard what the hell are you doing here?" The man answered as Lawing's face turned from shock to anger.

"Doing my job." Lawing answered

"Now listen Jeff I don't care if you following orders you are a bastard and a right so one at that." The man said towards Lawing advancing slowly

"Jason now is not the time to argue we have a mission and you will follow your orders to the letter." Lawing said staring into the slate gray eyes.

Jason huffed and moved away from the pair and started yelling at the Seamen on deck. Lawing moved towards the nearest hatch and descended into the darkness of the ship with Colonel Coupe not far behind. The Colonel trying to keep up as Lawing went into a cabin on his left and started pacing. The Colonel entered behind him and waited for Lawing to stop pacing.

"Sir what was that I thought the bad blood between you and your family was buried?" Coupe asked

"Wasn't buried deep enough." Lawing replied.

"Well I hope it doesn't interfere with the mission." Coupe said pulling out a small bottle.

Lawing nodded and said "same here." accepting the bottle and taking a swig of the contents.


End file.
